CHAPTER TEN: UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT
1021 Words
The moment Naomi stepped out of the limousine, the cameras exploded.
Flashes lit up the entrance of the hotel like miniature lightning strikes.
Questions immediately followed.
"Mr. Vale!"
"Adrian!"
"Over here!"
"Sebastian, look this way!"
Naomi had barely taken two steps before another voice cut through the noise.
"Ms. Reeds!"
She immediately regretted stopping.
A reporter leaned forward eagerly.
"Why are you arriving with Sebastian Vale and Adrian Sinclair tonight?"
Several other reporters turned toward her.
The questions multiplied.
"Are you dating one of them?"
"Ms. Reeds, are the rumors true?"
"Mr. Vale, is Ms. Reeds your girlfriend?"
"Adrian, are you two together?"
"What exactly is Ms. Reeds' relationship with the two of you?"
Naomi closed her eyes briefly.
Wonderful.
Exactly the reason she hated events like this.
Beside her, Adrian looked suspiciously entertained.
Sebastian looked offended.
"Those are your questions?"
A reporter immediately pointed at him.
"So you're denying it?"
"Denying what?"
"The relationship."
"What relationship?"
A collective murmur spread through the crowd.
The reporter pressed forward.
"The one everyone has been talking about."
Sebastian stared at him.
Then at Naomi.
Then back at the reporter.
"Why would anyone be talking about that?"
The reporters practically lit up.
Naomi knew instantly that he'd made everything worse.
One reporter scribbled furiously into a notebook.
Another lifted her microphone.
"So there is something to talk about?"
"No."
"Then you're denying the rumors?"
"I'm denying whatever this conversation is."
Adrian turned away, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
Naomi pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Can we go inside now?"
Nobody listened.
The questions continued.
Eventually security stepped in and guided them toward the entrance.
The second the ballroom doors closed behind them, Naomi released a long breath.
Sebastian looked confused.
"What?"
"You made it worse."
"How?"
"You sounded guilty."
"I wasn't guilty."
"You looked guilty."
"I was confused."
"Apparently those look exactly the same."
Adrian finally gave up pretending and laughed.
Sebastian glared at him.
"You could've helped."
"I could have."
"You didn't."
"No."
The ballroom was already crowded.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.
Soft music drifted through the room.
Waiters moved gracefully between guests carrying trays of drinks and appetizers.
The entire event practically sparkled with money.
The kind of money that could fund a small country.
People smiled.
Networked.
Exchanged business cards.
Pretended to enjoy conversations they were desperate to escape.
Naomi recognized the routine immediately.
A charity gala always attracted two types of people.
Those who genuinely cared about the cause.
And those who cared about being seen caring about the cause.
Unfortunately, the second group usually arrived in larger numbers.
"You're making that face again."
Naomi glanced at Sebastian.
"What face?"
"The one where you look disappointed in humanity."
"I'm a lawyer."
"Fair enough."
Adrian laughed.
A few minutes later, several investors approached Sebastian and Adrian.
Both men were quickly pulled into conversation.
Naomi used the opportunity to disappear.
Not permanently.
Just far enough away to enjoy five minutes of peace.
Unfortunately, peace proved impossible.
"Ms. Reeds."
She looked up.
A man stood before her.
Tall.
Well-dressed.
Confident.
The type of man who had probably never heard the word no without immediately trying to negotiate.
He offered a charming smile.
"Daniel Williams."
Naomi shook his hand politely.
"Naomi Reeds."
"I know."
Not a promising start.
"I've been hoping to meet you."
"Have you?"
"I have."
His smile widened.
"I must admit, you're not what I expected."
Naomi resisted the urge to ask what that meant.
Experience suggested she wouldn't enjoy the answer.
"What did you expect?"
"Someone less interesting."
There it was.
Flirting.
Subtle enough to be polite.
Obvious enough to be intentional.
Naomi gave him a professional smile.
One she'd perfected years ago.
Daniel either didn't notice or chose not to care.
"I was wondering if you'd allow me to take you to dinner sometime."
Straight to the point.
At least that was refreshing.
Before Naomi could answer, another voice interrupted.
Sebastian appeared beside her carrying two glasses of champagne.
"Thought you might need rescuing."
Naomi blinked.
"I wasn't aware I needed rescuing."
"That's usually how rescue works."
Daniel looked between them.
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting something?"
"Yes," Sebastian said.
"No," Naomi said.
The two answers overlapped.
Daniel looked amused.
Sebastian looked annoyed.
Naomi looked tired.
An impressive combination.
Daniel turned back toward her.
"As I was saying, perhaps dinner sometime?"
Before Naomi could respond, Sebastian handed her one of the glasses.
"She's busy."
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
"Tonight?"
"Generally."
Naomi stared at him.
"What does that even mean?"
"I don't know."
At least he was honest.
Daniel laughed softly.
Unfortunately, it was the laugh of a man who thought he still had a chance.
Sebastian apparently disliked that.
A lot.
Because the next thing he said was:
"I think your friends are looking for you."
Daniel glanced across the room.
"They aren't."
"Oh."
A pause.
"Maybe they should be."
Naomi nearly dropped her drink.
Daniel stared.
Sebastian smiled politely.
The smile didn't reach his eyes.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Daniel wisely decided his evening could be spent elsewhere.
"It was nice meeting you, Ms. Reeds."
"You too."
The businessman walked away.
The second he disappeared into the crowd, Naomi turned toward Sebastian.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"You chased him away."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
"He seemed annoying."
"You spoke to him for thirty seconds."
"It was a very annoying thirty seconds."
Naomi sighed.
A few moments later Adrian joined them, a grin already forming on his face.
"Interesting."
Sebastian narrowed his eyes.
"No."
"I haven't said anything."
"You were about to."
"I was."
Adrian took a sip of his drink before leaning closer to Sebastian.
Far too casually.
"Most people don't chase away men who are flirting with women they aren't interested in."
Sebastian nearly inhaled his champagne.
Adrian looked delighted.
"Interesting reaction."
"Shut up."
"I didn't even say anything controversial."
"You absolutely did."
Naomi looked between them suspiciously.
Adrian's grin widened.
Sebastian rubbed a hand over his face.
The expression suggested he was questioning every decision that had led to this friendship.
Adrian looked incredibly proud of himself.
- Writer
